What is The Prayer Vigil
for the Earth?

...Where
people of diverse faiths, cultures, backgrounds and ages come together
to practice peace with self, peace with others, and peace with the
Earth with One Mind, One Voice, One Heart and One Prayer.

The
host tradition is Native American, joined by spiritual leaders and
representatives from major faiths, spiritual beliefs and anyone who
wants to be part of this magical, exhilarating and peaceful experience.

Each
year, a sacred fire burns continuously in the center of a circle of
tipis, African and Christian alters, a Jewish sukkah, a Tibetan stupa
and other religious traditions' symbols. There is a labyrinth, a Prayer
Grove, a children's activity area and other offerings.

Prayers and ceremonies are continuous beginning Saturday at sunrise and concluding midday Sunday.

Experience
nature's rhythms expressed in music, ritual and prayer by cultures east
and west, far and wide. Hear African drumming along with the Japanese
Taiko drummers.

After
a very small and quiet Prayer Vigil for the Earth in 2011, it was
wonderful to have a large Vigil again this year and see so many old
friends and so many traditions gathered. Many participants commented
that it was a very special Vigil and for many of us it was the final
year, the 20th. Our fire keeper for many years, Bill Rolph, and Eleanor
Kibrick drove down from Canada and Ben Perchik and Sue Conklin timed
their return from New Zealand to support the Vigil. All are long
standing members of the Prayer Vigil organizing committee.

On
Friday for set up, we were joined by Jennifer Hudson and a crew from
the One Heart, One Mind Center in Charles Town, West Virginia. The
Center is a Native American interpretative center designed to teach Red
Road concept to others of all traditions. They have their own Sun
Dance, lodges, and drums. Their 3 tipis and poles and the crew were a
wonderful help with all the other tipis - supporting our own logistics
superstar Chris Llinas. They also came with a ceremonial drum and
singers.

The
2012 Prayer Vigil signalled the return of the energy of the Divine
Feminine. Tracy Wilson humbly graced us by leading the opening pipe
ceremony Saturday morning and later with a jingle dress dance in honor
of her late husband Dave Wilson, who participated in many past Vigil’s.

Rabiah
AL Nur of Spring of Light spoke about the new cycle we have entered
into as the time of the Divine Feminine. This is a time to bring
balance as we honor and elevate this energy in all of us — a time for
women and men to develop peace and humility and to end the harsh energy
of war and domination.

The
water blessing and healing was gifted by the Coalition of African
Spiritual Traditions from Washington DC. Iya Mari, who brought
greetings from Elder Mother Taylor of the African Houses, led the
prayers so beautifully as she poured waters from around the world from
places such as New Zealand, Canada, The Czech Republic, Guatemala and
the shrine at Lourdes, France. Some of the other Priests sang, danced
and offered healing and blessings as the participants moved through a
healing tent.

The
Japanese Shumei Taiko Drums were led by a young woman from Shumei. We
were blessed with two young boys around 6 years of age playing the
Taiko drums, who amazed us all with their strength and ability to keep
pace with the adult drummers.

The
Buddhist nun from Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) temple, Ani Renchin,
circled the peace village with folks praying and walking with incense
sticks as the KPC youth drummers set the pace.

Nina
Gibson offered songs and prayers in Gallic from the Celtic Tradition,
while bringing in Bridget's presence as she did so; Bridget is the
Celtic goddess of fire, poetry, healing, childbirth, and unity. An
altar for the Divine Feminine held space across from the Sacred fire
and at the full moon a circle of drumming and singing by the women took
place softly and powerfully.

A
big highlight for all of us at the Vigil was to host ten Ainu from
Japan – they are the “People of the Bear” – the first people of Japan –
with a much-reduced population living on two islands in Northern Japan.
They performed their sacred ceremonies and traditional dances on
Saturday and Sunday.

Bill
Rolph arranged a beautiful altar for Inuit stone carvings beside the
sacred fire. The sculptures were lent by Janet Tamalik, who lived in
Nunavut (in Northern Canada) for many years and was in relationship
with many Inuit friends and especially a spiritual elder namedAupilaarjuk, who knew William Commanda, the Algonquin Chief who came often to the Vigil. The Ainu Elder at the Vigil this yearwas delighted to see the carvings and note the resemblance between himself and the photo of the Inuit Elder.

Children
were more present than ever at this year's Vigil. The Ainu people
brought some of their own youth, and the Elders said they were very
happy that the young people experienced and participated in their own
traditions on the National Mall and to have them so well received.John
Oakgrove, an Ojibwa from Minnesota, came to sing traditional songs
while three of his children danced in ribbon shirts and full dancing
regalia. The impact was colorful and moving to see those young folks so
involved and so good at the dances as their father and others sang at
the drum.

Saturday
evening at Sunset our friends from Osmanlı Nakş-ı'bendi Hakkani Derga
Sufi Center in upstate New York conducted a wonderful Sufi Zikr in
memory of their beloved Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Hakkani el-Kibrisi, a
long time friend of the Prayer Vigil. During the ceremony, Ojibwe Clyde
Bellicourt, MC for the Vigil, and Sharon Franquemont, co-founder of the
Vigil, were honored by the Sufis.

Later
Rabbi David Shneyer shared songs around the fire and the full moon
drumming brought a soft, calming and peaceful energy as Wapje and
Maimuna (daughter and granddaughter of Mountain Eagle Woman, an elder
of the Prayer Vigil) inspired the gathered women in singing and prayer.

On
Sunday morning, Howard Bad-Hand led the sunrise Pipe Ceremony and gave
a beautiful talk. Later he conducted an adoption ceremony in which
Lukman of the Sufis, Clyde Bellecourt and Sharon Franquemont adopted
each other as brothers and sisters, wrapping their hands in a red
ribbon.

Estella
Yeung brought choke cherries for the wiping of the tears ceremony as is
traditional in feeding those who have passed on and those who gather to
honor the memories. She was assisted by Claudia Mantila and Ayisah
Yusuf, who placed the offerings by the pictures of those who have
passed on. Clyde Bellecourt led the ceremony is his powerful way.

Reverend
Charles Gibbs with support from David Berry, co-founder of the Vigil,
conducted a Christian Service on Sunday Morning. Reverend Gibbs took
the participants deep into what the symbols of the communion
represented and David, rather than a reading from the Bible, gave a
brief reading of the nature around us at that moment. Later on Sunday
we again enjoyed songs and programs with the children led by Mary
Sunbeam, Cherokee, and chanting by Shumei and the Ainu.

We
concluded with a "joyful noise" of all of the drums together then
channeled the energy in the commitment ceremony called "Taking a Stand,
Taking a Step in Spirit" in which participants chose what they were
committed to as they stepped back into their daily lives from the Vigil
and raised their hands to show they supported each other in keeping
those commitments.

This
year we did not have a full food service on the Mall so we invited
people to bring food pot luck. Many thanks go to Rabiah al Nur for
organizing the food and for arranging many donations in kind from food
stores around Washington D.C. Many thanks also to Denise, Caleb,
Claudia, Willie, Robert and all of Chris’s crew for preparing and
ferrying food back and forth to the Vigil site.

Throughout
the Vigil our long time photographer Bill Sanda captured images of
those special moments. The images of the 2012 Prayer Vigil for the
Earth can be seen at2012 Photographs.

With
deep gratitude, we thank you for your participation in the Prayer Vigil
for the Earth over the course of the past 20 years. We are honored to
have been of service to you, to our children and to the Earth. Be in
Peace.